


End Sequence

by wisia



Series: Cap-IM TRB 2015 [3]
Category: The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Angst, Extremis, Extremis Tony Stark, Iron Man: Director of SHIELD, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 01:57:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4372727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wisia/pseuds/wisia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In what universe would he be in a three legged race with Steve? Certainly not this one.</p>
<p>For the Cap-IM Tiny RBB 2015<br/>Code: Classic</p>
            </blockquote>





	End Sequence

**Author's Note:**

> **Code Name:** Classic [ the art ](http://capim-tinybang.tumblr.com/post/123800118081/title-run-baby-run-artist-ssyn3-rating-none)  
> **Title:** End Sequence  
>  **Universe:** Ambiguous  
>  **Notes:** Warnings for Extremis, depression, and delusions? Because, of course, I don’t want to write the happy things.

Steve’s smile was bright, and his arm was heavy but warm around Tony’s shoulders. It was a comforting weight, and Tony didn’t know how a day could be more perfect. Steve’s hair was beautiful, the strands light in the sun streaming down. The grass was green and dry, and absolutely everything was picture perfect. A wonderful day at the park.

“You ready for this?” Steve asked, almost teasing. He glanced down at the yellow band tying them together. It was still secure, and Tony was pressed tight against Steve’s side. Really, everything was perfect here. They were going to race and win this stupid thing, and then they could go out for burgers afterward and—

“Tony?” Steve prompted when he didn’t answer.

“Yes,” Tony said. “Sorry, I—I’m just so…”

“Happy? Lost in your thoughts? You’re not supposed to be working, mister.”

“I…” Tony’s voice trailed off. Steve’s smile was soft and tender. A quality that Tony hadn’t seen in a long time. It made his chest ache something fierce as he refocused on the scene. On the moment. He wasn’t working in his head. Not exactly. “No. I—no.”

“What?” Steve’s smile turned into a frown. “Tony, are you—you look a little pale.”

He placed a hand on Tony’s forehead, testing for a fever. Tony wasn’t sick though. Or maybe he was. He pushed Steve’s hand away.

“I’m not sick.”

“Are you sure? We can call this off.” Steve was too close, a proximity that Tony would normally welcome. A proximity that Tony didn’t really have the pleasure of having anymore.

“It’s not that. I just…I can’t—“

“Tony.”

“Cut,” Tony said, and Steve froze in place. Tony swallowed hard, carefully avoiding meeting Steve’s innocent blue eyes. He—he was probably sick in the head. “End, end sequence.”

He blinked as the park and Steve faded away. Another blink, and Extremis receded with a jerk. Tony winced as his eyesight blurred, a backlash from the abrupt shutdown. He gritted his teeth through the pain, but he couldn’t regret exiting the program hastily. Almost at once, messages flooded his brain, all clamoring for Director Stark. They were quiet, ignored in face of the program, but now they were too loud. At the forefront of his mind.

Tony rubbed his eyes tiredly, shoving the messages away. He deleted them all mentally and slumped into his chair. He had to get a grip over himself. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. In what universe would he be in a three legged race with Steve? Certainly not this one.

He…he called Maria.

“Where are you, Stark?” 

“On my way.”

Tony could do this. He had work to do. It had to be worth it even if it wasn’t.


End file.
